Self-locking and point-setting composing-stick.



NIMH HHH Patented Feb.21,1911.

INVENTOR, y

, @ZIM ..G. M. DURELL. SELF LOOKING AND POINT SETTING ooIIIPosINGrSTICK. APPLICATION FILED 113.17, 1910. 984,804..

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GEORGE IVI. DURELL, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

SELF-LOCKING .AND PO1NT-SETTING COMPOSING-STIGK.

Specification of rLetters Patent.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911'.

Application 1ed February 17, 1910. Serial No. 544,475. v

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, GnonenM. DURELL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucasand State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful lmprovement inSelf-Locking and Point-Setting Composing-Sticks, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to a composing stick and has for its object toprovide a convenient and accurate device of the kind that is readilyadjustable for setting lines of type of any desired nonpareil, pica orpoint length, and that is self locking when adjusted for any length ofline. I accomplish these objects by the construction and combination ofparts, as hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a composing stickconstructed in accordance with my invention, with the knee inpositionand locked thereo-n. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the samepartly broken away, and showing the knee in position either foradjustment, attachment, or detachment. Fig. 3 is a top view of the same,sectioned on line az-m of Fig. 4, and showing a portion of the top ofthe knee block broken away. Fig. 4 is a cross section of the stick online g/-y of Fig. 3.

In the drawings 1 designates the body of a composing stick, formedpreferably of sheet metal, and comprising the graduated receiving base 2of suitable width and length, and having a straight edge 3; a back wall4 at right angles to the base, and parallel with the straight edge 3,and having its top edge provided with ratchet teeth; the end wall 5, atright angles to the base, the back wall, and the straight edge, andhaving an end portion 6 projecting beyond the line of the' straight edgeforming a hook adapting the base for line measurement; and theadjustable knee 7.

The knee 7 comprises the rectangular L shaped block 8, having its bottom9 faced to engage and rest on the base 2, the side wall 10 faced toclosely engage the back wall 4, the end wall 11 faced at right angles tothe bottom 9 and the side wall 10, the side 12 provided with alengthwise groove 13, and the top 14 having the recessed portion 15 andthe lengthwise groove 16 adjacent to the side wall 10; the helicalspring 17 in the groove 13; the push bar 18 movable along the side 12and in the groove 13 and engaging one end of the spring; the ratchet bar19 ad justably mounted in the groove 16; and the movable locking plate2O havint a side 21. bent downward at right angles rom a central portion22 parallel with the side wall 10, and a side 23 bent downward from thecentral portion 22, but diverging at an angle from the side 12 towardthe wall 11, the central portion 22 being provided with a rectanguiaropening 24 above the recess 15 of the block S and extending to the side21.

The ratchet bar 19 has a central top portion 25 of increased width whichextends outward over the back wall 4, and central through the portion 25of the bar 19 is provided a short slot 26, which extends lengthwise ofthe bar.l Below the slot the block 8 is tapped to receive a set screw27, which eX- tends through Vthe slot into the block, and when partlyrun into the block allows limited lengthwise movement of the ratchetbar, and when run in until the head of the screw is shouldered againstthe bar, locks it againstmovement. The under side of the margin of thecentral portion 25 of the ratchet bar 19 has ratchet teeth formedthereon complementary to the teeth of the i any point, the teeth oftheratchet bar iit into the incuts forming the adjacent teeth of the backwall 5.

The locking plate 20 is provided with the slightly elongated holes 29 toreceive the stud screws 30 which are tapped. into the block S andmovably secure the plate to the block, the elongations of the holes 29beingadapted to permit limited movement o f the plate transverse theblock S.-

The push bar 18 on its outer face is provided with an incline face 31,complementary to the inclined inner face of the side 23 of the lockingplate 20, and when the plate is mounted on thc block 8 with the side 23engaging the incline face 31 of the push bar, the spring normally holdsthe push bar to the limit of its outward movement, whereby the plate ismoved to bring the side 21 of the plate toward the side 10 of the block8, and when the bar 1S is pushed inward, compressing the spring, theincline face of the push bar is disengaged from the side 23 of theplate,-

the ratchet bar 19 is provided a point index 32 which is pivoted on thestud screw 3() by one end, and extends therefrom toward the face 1l ot'the block 8. The index 32 has a short arm 33 extending at right angles`to the pivotal bearing ot' the index and into a notch 3 4 of `theratchet bar l2) whereby when the 'ratchet bar or the block 8 is moved Trelatively to the other, in one direction, the

point of the index is moved outward from the barl9 through an arc, overthe graduations o11;the,-recessed face. ofithe block, and. whenrelatively moved inthe opposite direction thegpoint ot'l the indexisanoved over the graduations35itoward4-the bar. 19. rlhe distance,ofrelative movement of the ratchet bar 19 and the. block, 8 is eqnali tothe measured :linespace ot' a nonpareil em, and ,the graduations `35indicate1 the points into which av-nonpareil space is divided Saccordingto theipoint. system otr type line measurement@v ffc: if i1,Millie,teetlrot' the back wall 4 have a shoulderglfacel perpendiculartothe base 2r-and facedtoward the end; wa'll y5, and the distancebetween the perpendicular faces lotl thefteethfisiequalz toa nonpareilem.

@The perpencliculartaces of theteeth ofthe ratehetbar arefacedoppositefrom the face lllotf-the block 8 and the distance betweenthe ,perpendicular faces of the teeth ofthe ratchetibar being alsoiequal to a nonpareil em-Whenthe teeth ofthe ratchet bar are inengagement Vwith the teeth of the back wall, the perpeiidiculaitaces ofthe teeth of the ratchet baneoincide witlrand abut the perpendicularfaces of corresponding' teeth of the back `wall,:whereby the knee 7 isheld at any4 position it is. placed against the back wallagaifnstinovement in. the direction away from the,end wall 4Theperpendicular faces of the teeth of the back wall are alsoincross',alfinementlwith theI lines forming the nonpareildivisions ofthe graduated sca-le of the base 2.

ggflhus constructed, the operation of setting thejgknee 7 toi anydesired lengthof line is as follows:Holdingythe stiekililin his letthand with t-he back wall uppermost and the knee Flin theright hand wit-hthe-top lplate uppermost beneath thegtpalm,l with the tingers againstthe falce l1 and the thumb pressing ,againstth e push bar untilthezflocking face isiloosened and free to move, the yoperator, pushesthe. knee downwardon the stick with theback wall between .the side 2lot' theloeking. plate,4 `and the side lOofithe bloclgand,with the facell alined with the graduation .on the scale designating the length ofline in `nonpareil ems desired. Yhenfthe bottom sideof the knee restsVon thelbase 2, .onreleasing the push bar, the spring movesit outward andthe incline 3l ofthebarengaging the side 23 of the locking plate wedgesbetween the side 23 and the I block S and moves the plate until the side2l ot' the plate and the side l0 of the block are engaged with andpressed oppositely against the back wall 4. The outer angle at ot' theback wall 4 with the base 2 is slightly rounded, and the side 23 isslightly curved inward along its free edge 21, whereby when the side 2lis moved into engagement- .with the back wall by the push bar, the

gages the rounded corner 4 of the back wall, and locks the knee againstbei-'ng lifted from the base 2, and the teeth ofthe ratchet bartogether-.with the edge -portioni23 locks it against being movedlengthwise of the back-wall in eitherdirection.

It it is desired to -move the knee from any position on the base 2 Vtoapositionfarther away from the end wall 5,"t'he' knee is, grasped asbefore described andfwhen the push bar hasbeen push'edin vby thethumband: the lockingl 'plate released' the knee is tilted by thei thumbengaging -the push bar onzthe lower corner formedby the face ll with thebottom side ofthe block 8,l in which Iposition the teethiof the ratchetbarbeing disengaged from the teeth ot the backwall 5, the'knee may bemo'vedalong "the back wall until-theflower edge ot' the tace-"llcoincides with-the desired'graduating line `of the base 2.- The raisedend of thekneebeing thenpushed down on thebase2 andthe pushbar-released, the knee is again automatically loeked-inits new position.lf itis desired to move the knee=toward the end wall `5 from Vanyposition, after thel lock plate has been released byi pressure of thethumb on the push bar the knee'may be -movedllalongl the back wallandibase:withoutf'tilting the knee, and upon releasing hold of the=kneethe action ofthe spring on the push bar will again automaticallylock the-knee in" its new position. Should -fit be desired to l lengthen the`line thus established o'n'e'or more'points less thanialnonpariel em,the set screw 27 of the ratchet bar-` isf run outward sutticientlyV tounlock 'the bar and `pres'sureis applied on the `face ll of blockStomo've it relatively 'to' the ratchet bar unt-il theindex point 32 has(by reason of its1 pivotal bearing beingmoved relatively to the notch 34ot'.- the ratchet bar) ,l been moved over'the graduations 35 the desirednumber ofpoints. The bar being then locked by the set screw the knee isfirmly established on theJ base 2 for the line desired. vIt is apparentthat this adjustment for points greater vor less -th'an any number ofnonpariel units of 4measurement may be made when the knee 7-is'd`etachedfrom the stick, by movement ofthe ratchet bar relative to the block Suntily the index shows the desired number of points of variation andthen locking the bar by theV setscrew 27, and when thus adjusted,whereever attached to the back wall et, the point curved edge portion 2lof the side 23 enf `variation of the knee from the scale of the notlimit. myself to placing such graduationsl on the base. It is furthermanifest that the teeth of the back wall, the ratchet bar, thepointindex, and the graduations pf the base and knee, all being omitted', theknee may Hstill be convenientlyA adjusted on the base `and automaticallylocked on the back wall fora desired length of line, by adjusting theknee on the base to a slug of a line of that length.

of those elements in combination with a self locking knee. l

What I claim to b e new is-n 1. The combination with the base, backw'all, and end wall of a composing stick, of a knee comprising arectangular block member faced to abut the back Wall and rest on thebase, a clamping member movably mounted on the block and adapted toengage the back wall oppositely to the block, when the block is mountedon the base abutting the back wall, and locking means adapted toautomatically press the block and the clamping member oppositely on theback wall, when the knee is manually so mounted on the base andreleased, and that is adapted to release the clamping member by manualpressure on the locking means and the knee.

2. The combination with the base and back wall of a composing stick, ofa knee adapted to be mounted on the base abutting the back wall, a clampmovably mounted on v the knee and adapted to clamp the knee to the backwall when the knee is in position on the base abuttingl the back wall,and means engaging the clamp and the knee comprising a push bar and aspring, adapted to automatically press the knee and the clamp oppositelyon the back Wall, and lock the knee thereto when the knee is manuallyplaced thereon and released as set forth, and to unlock the knee bymoving the push bar to compress the spring while manually lifting theknee from the base.

3. The combination with the base and back wall of a composing stick, ofa knee adapted to be mounted on the base abutting the back wall, a clampmounted on the knee and movable thereon from the abutting face of theknee, to receive the back wall therebetween, and toward the knee toengage the back wall and clamp the knee thereto, and

I therefore do not limit myself in` 4the construction of my invention tothe use locking means comprising a push bar and 'a spring, operating,when the push bar is pressed against the spring in manually placing theknee on the base, to permit the clamp to openv from the knee to receivethe back Wall between 'the' knee and the clamp, and when the knee isresting on the base -abutting the back wall and manually released, toautomatically press the knee and the clamp oppositely on the back walland lock the knee thereto.

4. The combination with the base and back wall of a composing stick of aknee adapted to be mounted on the base, and automatically clamped to theback wall, said knee comprising a rectangular block having parallel sidefaces, one adapted to abut the back Wall and the other provided with agroove, a helical spring in the groove, a push bar movable along thegrooved face of the block and engaging one end of the spring, said pushbar having an outer face inclined to its inner face, a clamping platemountedand movably secured transverse the block, said plate having sideportions angled, one parallel with the back wall abut ting face, andspaced therefrom to receive the back wall therebetween, and the otherparallel with the inclined face of the push bar, whereby the expansionof the spring automatically wedges the push bar between the block andthe inclined side portion of the plate, and clamps the block and plateon the back wall, and the compression of the spring by the push barreleases the pressure of the push bar on the block and the plate andleaves the/knee free to be lifted from the base.

5. In a composing stick, the combination with a base, end wall, and aback wall having its top edge uniformly serrated, with the points of theteeth at intervals equal to a nonpareil em, of a knee adapted to bemounted on the base abutting any portion of the back wall, a ratchet barmounted on the knee and relatively adjustable thereon by a movement ofthe bar or the knee, and having a portion extending laterally over theback wall, said portion being provided with teeth complementary to andengaging the teeth of the back wall when the knee abuts the back Wall, apoint index pivotally mounted on and movable over the upper face of theknee and adapt-ed to be moved on its pivot through an arc by anymovement of the ratchet bar or the knee relative to the other of them,index lines on the knee dividing the arc of movement of the point of theindex and indicating point distance of movement of the ratchet bar orthe knee relative to the other of them.

6. In a composing stick, the combination with a base, end wall, and aback wall having its top edge uniformly serrated with the points of theteeth at intervals equal to a -With teeth complementary to noupareilempoli' a knee adapted to be mounted .on the base ahuttingany portion-of the 1hackl Wall, a vratchet bar- Vmounted on and means to loek thebar to the knee as adjusted.

V7. In a composing stick, the combination `Withthe end wall, a basehaving graduating lines indicating nonpareil distances from the endWall, and a back wall havingits t'o'p edge provided With teeth of aunfoilnwvidth ofhase of a nonpareil em, and corresponding with thegraduations'ofthe base, Ufa knee adapted "to `he mounted on the haseabutting any portion ofthe baek'Wall,a bar secured on the knee andhaving a portion `projecting therefrom over lthe back Wall, said portionhaving teetheornplementaryt and adapted 'to engage the teeth of theba'ek Wall when the knee afhuts the back `Walk-a Clamping .membermovarbly mounted on the `knee and adapted to engage the back Walloppositely to :the yknee When the knee' is abutting the back Wall', andlocking means comprising a push har and a spring adajpted toautomatieaflrly compress Jche knee and the clamping member oppositely onJthe back Wall when the knee is lifted by the push bar and the knee?ola'eed' onthe base and released, and that is adapted to release thepressure of the clamping member o-n the back Wall by pressure on thepush'bar' when 'when 'the knee abuts the that is adapted toreleafse thelthe knee and the push har are gripped to lit't theiknee t'rdm the hase.y p

8. In a edmposin'g"st-ick,` IJthe Combination `with the' end Wall, a'base =having graduating "lines indicating nnpreil ydistances' from' theend Wall, and a back Wall having the top rre'sponding iviththe-gr'adu'ationsf the baise, of avknee adapted to' be inounted `onA thehase alitting 'any porti'nof the 'back lvitali, a har stally secured onthe knee and having a' port-ion p'rojecting tlereifo'm 'o vitheha'ckjvpvlall,v said portion li'avidg'teeth 'complementary to andadapted to engageq the teeth of theback Wall Bdhall, li .t0 indicate inpoints'th'e distance of relative a'djustnlentofthe har, amovablymolinted lon tlie kf'e'e and adapted to engage the back tvall'oppositelyl tohthe knee when the knee is vthe bek Wall, and lockingnayn's toniprising push bar and a spring adapted to automatieally pressthe knee' andthe Clamping mernherppositely on the 1hack wall when theknee is gripped as set forth,l plaed on the base abutting the baek Wall,and released, .and ure of the clamping r'ne'mherA on "th e b'aek Wallpres sure on the push bar when the knee and tlie push har are' gripped tliftthe knee fri'n the base". y y y A In* Witness' Wliere'of I havehereunto signed my name inthe preseneof tivo suholst day of January,

ser'hi'ng Witnesses, thi; 1910; v

GEORGE M. DRELL. In piesenee'or'- MARK VrN'Crinsr'n'n'5V S. SMITH.

